Evans wants long United stay

The Northern Ireland international has been a regular at the heart of Sir Alex Ferguson's defence for the last 18 months and signed a new three-and-a-half year contract in December but the 25-year-old is hoping to extend his career at Old Trafford way beyond then.

Evans has had loan spells at Royal Antwerp and Sunderland before establishing himself in the United team but, after coming through their youth system, would like to remain a one-club man.

He told Inside United: "When I was younger, clubs were asking me to go on trial from a young age and I never went on trial to another club. I just knew that Manchester United was the place I wanted to play football.

"So to play here throughout my career would be something I would look to do and I'd love to do it."

Evans has missed United's last three games with a hamstring injury and in the Premier League matches against Liverpool and Tottenham, Ferguson has brought a fit-again Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand back together in the middle of the defence.

And Evans said he has learnt a lot from United's two senior central defenders.

He added: "When I first came into the first-team squad, the level that those two were playing at was unbelievable. The presence they have, the way they could defend, it was the very top. For younger players to try and emulate that was a big ask. It still is.

"But for me coming through the youth team looking at these two fantastic players, it was all about trying to get to that level - not necessarily as quick as possible but just to the best of my ability. I just tried to be as good as I can be really.

"That's been the challenge for me. It's not really been the challenge of getting into a normal first-team - it's the challenge of trying to reach a standard set by Rio and Vida, two of the best centre-backs in the world."